Act tough on shops selling liquor at inflated price, Pawan Kalyan tells Excise officials

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan has made it clear that selling liquor at prices higher than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) is a direct violation of rules and brings a bad name to the government.

The Deputy Chief Minister, in a post on X on Tuesday,  responded after receiving complaints from across the State, including Kakinada district, alleging that liquor shops were charging prices above the prescribed MRP. Similar complaints had reportedly been pouring in from several other districts as well.

After examining the complaints, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said that liquor shop owners must adhere to the government norms while selling alcohol. He cautioned that overpricing liquor not only violated regulations but also damaged the credibility of the government.

He directed the Excise Department officials to maintain continuous surveillance over liquor shops across the State and take strict action against shop owners found selling liquor at inflated prices. He emphasised that enforcement should be firm and consistent to prevent such violations from recurring.

The State government, he asserted, would not tolerate any deviation from prescribed rules in liquor sales and was committed to ensuring transparency and compliance in the excise system.